FrontPage Stories

First Person

National City Shooting: “I imagined a bullet hitting me in the face.”

By Heriberto Escamilla

On Sunday August 14 the sun came up and shone on Armando Lazos’ face for the last time. At noon of that same day, Armando was laying face down on the ground, beside his gray Toyota Forerunner, his face pulverized by a hail of police gunfire. His world had suddenly gone dark.

My family and I witnessed many of the events that led up to his death. At about 8:30 in the morning my wife, granddaughter and I went to the corner store for tortillas and eggs. As we approached the corner of Ridgeway and Granger, we heard the wail of approaching sirens. We saw a gray SUV turning right at the corner toward Euclid Avenue. Two police units followed close behind. A third police car, trailing a few yards away turned in the same direction on Fenton Street. A few minutes later, as we were on our way back home, the same car, now with all three police cars, in close pursuit, raced back up the same street in the opposite direction. They were chasing, but not very fast.

Back at home and for the rest of the morning, the sirens continued to cut the air around us. For this day and age, this was not unusual. We’ve grown familiar to these reminders of our troubled lives. The loudspeaker that followed was a little more unusual. “You in the 7-Eleven, stay in the store”. Something was definitely amiss, but at that point, we did not know that it was the same guy in the gray SUV. My son-in-law who happened to be at the golf course on Sweetwater Road calls to tell us that he heard there was a shooting, a double murder near the Sweetwater Inn.

I immediately accessed the Internet and learned that an armed man was indeed barricading himself in his car, his gray SUV, but he wasn’t a murder suspect. So we get information and sometimes it’s wrong. It was the same guy, I thought to myself, and now about three hours later after we had first seen him eluding the police, things begin to move more quickly. A helicopter circled the cemetery directly behind our home. Through our kitchen door, we saw police cars, at least three of them positioning themselves near the rear entrance of the cemetery. Other units parked on Granger and Wilma Streets, and behind the police tape, reporters jockeyed for positions. Residents started to gather. A voice from the helicopter orders people visiting their departed loved ones in the cemetery to leave. We see them running out, with surprised, frightened and confused looks on their faces. The white haired woman that lives across the street and a younger companion are talking and then pleading with some of the officers. “Please don’t shoot him, don’t hurt him”. The pleading turns to tears as the officers herd them back away from the cemetery entrance. We learned later, the woman was his girlfriend.

Bill Richardson Touches Off A Firestorm in Mexico
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s August 12 declaration of a state of emergency along the Mexican border with his state provoked sharp reactions in Mexico. Almost immediately, national Mexican newspapers posted stories about the declaration on their front pages, while the federal Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE) and Interior Ministry issued a joint statement deploring the move. Leonel Cota, the national president of the opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution, called on Mexico’s federal government to not be pressured and reject the emergency declaration.

Change Through MusicBy Katia Lopez-HodoyanMaking a difference is the goal, but the road is bumpy. Even so, the show must go on. Literally. Waving flamenco skirts, penetrating voices and the echo of sharp guitar chords is a good way to get started. Creating social consciousness is no easy task, but this innovative attempt to help foster children’s transition into the workforce is admirable.

Editorial:San Diego No Longer the Bastion for the Right WingIt used to be that San Diego County could be counted upon to support everything right wing, Carte-Blanc. It appears now that there are winds of change blowing across this vast Republican strong hold. It has the Republicans a bit perturbed.

Commentary:Former San Diego Police Chief Jerry Sanders Unfit to be MayorBy Daniel L. MuñozIt is difficult to accept that Jerry Sanders believes that the Mexican American population, of the City of San Diego, could ever forget or forgive his role in the massacre that was carried out by James Oliver Huberty, at four O’clock in the afternoon, on the 18th of July 1984, at the San Ysidro McDonalds restaurant in San Ysidro. When the violence and smoke had cleared, on that day, 22 victims lay dead, and 15 others lay seriously wounded! The majority of the victims were Mexican American children, their mothers, younger brothers and sisters and a few Grandmothers. Jerry Sanders, on that day, was the commander of the San Diego Police Departments SWAT team!

Commentary:Environmental Health Coalition:
Working for Environmental Justice in South Bay communities since 1990
As one of the nation’s oldest and most effective environmental justice organizations, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) has been working in South Bay communities and Tijuana for over 25 years. A recent commentary in your paper revealed that, in spite of a long history in the South Bay, some may not be aware of EHC history and accomplishments in the region. We are members of EHC who live in Chula Vista and represent EHC’s community leadership. We would like to take this opportunity to acquaint your readers on EHC’s past achievements in the South Bay and outline some of our current efforts in Chula Vista.

TEZOZOMOC SPEAKS:La Ciudad de San Diego is on the brink of bankruptcy not to worry, the whole City Council and the City Manager don’t seem to be worried about it! They took off for a whole month!!! No wonder City Attorney Aguirre is acting like the Mayor and the City Council  somebody has to! No one else cares! And, we elected these folks to run our City??

The Public Forum . . . El Foro PúblicoNational City PuppetsThe National City Mayor Inzunza has a handful of puppets. Ron Morrison you are so right in stating that. Some of us are keeping our eyes open not on San Diego but in our own National City Council. It is also apparent that these council members are painting with the same brush. Mr. Natividad should know that when people make jokes about improper spending and accepting campaign contributions from tribes, there is truth behind those jokes.

Hispanic Arts Theater opens in San DiegoBy Geneva GamezThere is a new arts theater in town! What once used to be the Hispanic Theater of San Diego now re-opens under a new name and president. With a unique vision and passion to bring the best multi-cultural performances to the community, Carlos Mendoza, President of the new Hispanic Arts Theater, steps in with a full agenda.

SWC Mariachi Returns to Land of MariachiMariachi Garibaldi to Perform at 12th Annual International Mariachi and Charrería Festival in Guadalajara, MéxicoChula VistaFor the third consecutive year, the Southwestern College (SWC) Mariachi Garibaldi will be performing at the world-renowned International Mariachi and Charrería Festival in Guadalajara, México. To help pay for their trip to Mexico, Mariachi Garibaldi will be giving a special presentation Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. in Mayan Hall Theatre*.

Chargers Linebacker Inspires On and Off the FieldBy John Philip Wyllie
Stellar San Diego Chargers linebacker, Donnie Edwards, doesn’t like to dwell on the past, but that doesn’t mean that he has forgotten his roots. Growing up in one of the rougher sections of National City as one of nine children to a Hispanic mother and an African-American father, Edward’s childhood was one of poverty, struggle and desperation. Abandoned by his father, Edwards had to grow up in a hurry and learn to fend for himself. His rags to riches story has been told and retold many times. It is a testament to what can be accomplished through hard work, determination and an iron will. Not content to simply lift himself out of poverty, Edwards has become involved in countless projects and causes aimed at helping those around him and the community that spawned him.

Bullfight World
By Lyn SherwoodLight Crowd Watches ‘Day of Youth’ in Tijuana
Tijuana Correspondent Gary Sloan reports that on Sunday, Aug 14, in El Toreo de Tijuana, a crowd of some 2000 showed up to see La Corrida de Juventud, three South American youngsters, making their Tijuana debuts. Omar Villaseñor, Juan Carlos Cubas, and Ishmael Rodriquez faced a serious herd of mature bulls from “Real de Saltillo”